Targeting Future Customers: An Introductory Biobanking Course for Undergraduate Students of Life Sciences

Biobank Education for Future Physicians: Training Medical Students Through Student Research Association Networks

Research biobanks have become crucial collaborators in a variety of basic and clinical research projects with comprehensive biological sample collection and associated data storage. Medical students, who are the most important stakeholders of biobanks as future physicians, need to be trained in biobanking; however, there is no consensus on how to include it in formal education. This study aimed to determine and increase awareness among medical students regarding biobanks through peer training organized online by medical student research association networks. Volunteer medical or graduate students were trained by biobank professionals at the Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG) biobank for 6-9 months. Then, a biobank event was planned by these trainees, the Ege Scientific Research Team (ESRT), and IBG-Biobank with the support of The Biobanking and BioMolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI) Turkey. The study reached students of 46 different medical faculties. Before the event, students' level of knowledge about biobanks was identified using a pre-event questionnaire (n = 239). Following 2 days (4 main sessions) of online events, a post-event questionnaire was administered to event participants (n = 110) and 80.9% of them answered (n = 89). The pre-event survey revealed that only 34.3% of the medical students had heard of the term "Biobank" in Turkey. After the event, medical students were significantly more enthusiastic about putting effort into biobanking and using and sharing stored biobank samples of their patients compared with the pre-event (p < 0.0001). Moreover, 92% of the students stated that they would consider attending an advanced course in biobanking. In conclusion, the current study demonstrates that extracurricular courses with peer learning methods coordinated with medical student associations can be valuable in increasing future physicians' awareness and knowledge of biobanking.

Support for Research Biobanks Among Medical Students in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Background: Over the past few years, several biobanks have been organized in the Republic of Kazakhstan (RoK). As research biobanks are becoming an increasingly important tool for precision medicine, they require competent biobankers who will help disseminate the idea of biobanking throughout the society and support donation for research purposes. This study aimed to assess the support for research biobanks among medical students (MSs) in Kazakhstan. Methods: This research includes data from an anonymous, self-administered online questionnaire regarding MSs' support for research biobanks in the RoK. Results: Only 212 (31.3%) MSs have heard of biobanks and 466 (68.7%) have not. Students who were biobank-aware held more positive views regarding biobanks, were more likely to support the idea of establishing a research biobank in Kazakhstan, and expressed a greater willingness to donate their biological material for research purposes. Students' awareness of biobanks was also associated with the respondents' motivations to donate. Students who were familiar with biobanks tended to be motivated by altruistic reasons more often, and those unfamiliar with biobanks tended to indicate selfish motives. Students' attitudes toward donation to various types of research and biobanks were influenced by their awareness of biobanks, any family history of genetic disease, experience of chronic disease, declared religiousness, hospitalization history, blood donor status, and year of study. Conclusion: Since MSs' awareness of research biobanks is low, there is an urgent need for biobank education in Kazakhstan.

Evaluation of dental students' knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding COVID-19 infection: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the differences between preclinical and clinical dental students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out among 303 undergraduate dental students (107 clinical students and 196 preclinical students). Questionnaires were given to the participants using an online data collection platform. The online questionnaire covered the dental students' socio-demographic information and their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of Coronavirus disease.

RESULTS

More frequently than preclinical students, clinical students benefited from the latest information about the COVID-19 outbreak obtained from television, internet news sites, and the World Health Organization website (P<0.05). The use of other protective equipment other than gloves and goggles has changed from "No" before the pandemic to "Yes" onset of the pandemic (P<0.001). The knowledge level of infection control in dentistry increased significantly more for clinical students than for preclinical students (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although dental students show reasonable knowledge, attitudes and behavior about COVID-19, attention should be taken to provide education on infectious diseases, starting from preclinical classes, and to make real information resources provided by global and national health authorities accessible to students.

Training in biobanking in the context of modern medical education

The development of biomedical research based on predictive, preventive and personalized medicine has served as a challenge to the formation and rapid development of a novel interdisciplinary scientific area  — biobanking, the main goal of which is the long-term proper storage of biological samples and related data for use in scientific and clinical research. Qualified personnel, along with the creation and development of biobank infrastructure, provide high-quality results required for biomedicine. Education and training must reflect the changing scope of knowledge and adapt to biobanking challenges. In this regard, there is an increasing need to develop and implement educational programs for staff working in and managing biobanks, as well as researchers, doctors and students who are not familiar with this area, but plan research using bioresources. The aim of this review is to present an analysis of the main biobanking directions and training programs in the world and in Russia in order to assess the existing problems and needs.

Biobanks in the low- and middle-income countries of the Arab Middle East region: challenges, ethical issues, and governance arrangements—a qualitative study involving biobank managers

Background

Biobanks have recently been established in several low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the Arab region of the Middle East. We aimed to explore the views of biobank managers regarding the challenges, ethical issues, and governance arrangements of their biobanks.

Methods

In-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of eight biobank managers from Egypt (6), Jordan (1), and Sudan (1). Interviews were performed either face-to-face, by phone, or via Zoom and lasted approximately 45–75 min. After verbal consent, interviews were recorded and then transcribed. The authors performed a thematic analysis of the transcripts independently and then integrated the themes via a consensus process.

Results

Biobank managers discussed the main challenges in establishing their biobanks. These included the staff’s lack of experience and training, limited funds, deficit awareness of biobanks, obtaining funding from different sources. Only four reported they were active in distributing biospecimens and health data to researchers. Six biobanks used a broad consent model, one used tiered consent, and another allowed participants to opt-out of being recontacted. Five managers avoided partnerships with pharmaceutical companies due to concerns with unfavorable reactions from the community. Five managers did not have clear policies for returning research results to the donors. Five expressed challenges with sample and data sharing with international collaborators; all five used material transfer agreements. The biobank managers revealed variable governance arrangements and activities with community involving awareness and educational efforts rather than active engagement. Several expressed the importance of transparency with the operations of their biobanks and gaining the trust of their stakeholders.

Conclusion

Managers of biobanks in LMICs in the Arab Middle East encounter financial, operational, and social challenges toward their sustainability efforts. Discussions with key stakeholders are warranted to manage ethical issues involving informed consent, privacy, data sharing, and the return of results. We recommend that biobank managers in the Arab Middle East form collaborative networks within the region and internationally, develop trusting governance relationships with their stakeholders, and pursue engagement activities with their communities to enhance trust.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12910-022-00822-8.

Harmonization of Biobank Education for Biobank Technicians: Identification of Learning Objectives

The quality of biospecimens stored in a biobank depends tremendously on the technical personnel responsible for processing, storage, and release of biospecimens. Adequate training of these biobank employees would allow harmonization of correct sample handling and thus ensure a high and comparable quality of samples across biobank locations. However, in Germany there are no specific training opportunities for technical biobank staff. To understand the educational needs of the technical personnel a web-based survey was sent to all national biobanks via established e-mail registers. In total, 79 biobank employees completed the survey, including 43 technicians. The majority of the participating technical personnel stated that they had worked in a biobank for less than three years and had never participated in an advanced training. Three-quarters of the technicians indicated that they were not able to understand English content instantly. Based on these results and the results of a workshop with 16 biobank technicians, 41 learning objectives were formulated. These learning objectives can be used as a basis for advanced training programs for technical personnel in biobanks. Setting up courses based on the identified learning objectives for this group of biobank staff could contribute to harmonization and sustainability of biospecimen quality.

Knowledge, perceptions and attitude of Egyptian physicians towards biobanking issues

Objectives

Collection and storage of biospecimens and data for biobanking raise many ethical concerns. Stakeholders’ opinions about these ethical issues are important since they can help in the development of ethical guidelines to govern biobanking activities. Physicians are among the important stakeholders since they contact potential participants and could be biobank users. The goal of this study is to evaluate the perceptions and attitude of Egyptian physicians towards ethical issues in biobanking.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was designed and distributed with the target group between November 2019 and January 2020.

Results

The questionnaire was completed by 223 physicians. While 65.5% reported hearing the term "Biobanking" before, 45.7% knew that there are biobanks in Egypt. Participants had a general positive attitude towards the value of biobanks in research. About 73% agreed that biobanks can share biospecimens with international research organizations, but only 42.6% supported collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, and 44% agreed to the use of user fees by biobanks. About 48% supported the use of broad consent in biobanks, and 73.1% believed that donors of biospecimens should be informed about results of research performed on their biospecimens.

Conclusion

Although many Egyptian physicians heard about biobanking, they had limited knowledge about the existence of biobanks in Egypt. They had concerns about commercialization, use of broad consent and user fees. A knowledge gap exists among these stakeholders, which should be covered by different educational activities. Community discussions should start to reach consensus about the issues of commercialization and return of research results.

L. Ho C, Chuan Voo T. Recommendations for the development of Egyptian human biobanking ethical guidelines

Background: The development of biobanks is associated with the emergence of new ethical challenges. In Egypt, several biobanks have been established, but there are no specific local ethical guidelines to guide their work. The aim of this study is to develop recommendations for the Egyptian human biobanking ethical guidelines, which take into consideration the specific cultural and legal framework in Egypt. Methods: We searched the literature for available biobanking ethical guidelines. Six themes were the concern of search, namely; informed consent, data protection, return of results, sharing of samples and data, community engagement, and stakeholder engagement. If a document refers to another guideline, the new source is identified and the previous step is repeated. Results: Ten documents were identified, which were analyzed for the themes mentioned above. Guidelines and best practices were identified, and then compared with the published documents about ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) related to biomedical research in Egypt to reach best recommendations. Conclusions: We have proposed, by way of recommendations, key characteristics that a national ethics framework in Egypt could have. On informed consent, the practice of broad consent may be harmonized among biobanks in Egypt. Clear policies on return of research results, training requirements and availability of genetic counseling could also be instituted through the national framework. Additionally, such a framework should facilitate community and stakeholders engagement, which is important to secure trust and build consensus on contentious issues arising from sample and data sharing across borders and commercialization, among other concerns.

Education for future biobankers - The state-of-the-art and outlook

Biobanking as a quickly growing branch of personalised medicine has undergone enormous progress during last two decades. Nowadays it is a well developed and structured multidisciplinary field that reflects developments and advances of biomedical research based on principles of predictive, preventive and personalised medicine (PPPM/3PM). All these trends in PPPM progress have to be translated into practice and education of new generation of scientists and healthcare givers. The importance of biobanks for multitasking research, personalised treatment, and health care systems was emphasised by many scientists and health care experts. As biobanking carries multidisciplinary character currently including more professionals than ten—twenty years ago, new generation of professional biobankers is urgently needed. To create new generation of biobankers who are fully competent to answer more and more scientific and practical questions, new study programmes, novel university curricula, and topic-dedicated courses are essential. The aim of the review is to present basic forms, trends of biobanking education offered by various biobanking related bodies and to highlight future needs. The first step is to cover all activities and duties of biobanks: acquiring, collecting, storageing and sharing biological samples and associated data, using adequate assessment for both - materials and data, taking into consideration ethical, legal, and societal issues (ELSI), responding to all stakeholder needs including pharmaceutical and other related industries, patient organisations and many other interested groups, emerging technologies and innovations as well as current and future requirements of health care systems. To compile educational programmes is a comprehensive task for all actors involved in the field of biobanking who contribute to the harmonised process of creating high educational level for future generation of biobankers. The exchange of experience involving extensive international collaboration is the way how to facilitate the process of creating optimal biobanking education.

Factors Influencing Participation in COVID-19 Clinical Trials: A Multi-National Study

In 2020, the World Health Organization has characterized COVID-19, a disease caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as a pandemic. Although a few vaccines and drugs have been approved to, respectively, prevent or treat the disease, several clinical trials are still ongoing to test new vaccines or drugs to mitigate the burden of the pandemic. Few studies have shown the role of host genetics in disease prognosis and drug response highlighting the importance of diverse participation in COVID-19 clinical trials. The goal of this study is to assess public attitudes in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan toward participating in COVID-19 clinical trials and to identify the factors that may influence their attitude. An online questionnaire was developed and distributed among the target group through social media platforms. The number of responses was 1,576. Three quarters (74.9%) of participants heard about clinical trials before, 57.6% of them had a positive attitude toward participation in COVID-19 clinical trials. The conduct of clinical trials in accordance with the scientific, research, and ethical guidelines was a strong predictor of willingness to participate in clinical trials. Other positive factors also included protection of family from COVID-19 and contributing to the return to normal community life as well as receiving additional healthcare benefit was the fourth significant predictor. On the other hand, the thought that clinical trials can have a negative impact on the health of participants strongly predicted the unwillingness of individuals to participate in such trials. This was followed by having limited information about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 and the lack of trust in physicians and hospitals. In general, Arab citizens are accepting the concept and have a positive attitude toward COVID-19 clinical trials. Increasing awareness of COVID-19 and clinical trials, enforcing the concept of altruism, and placing clear policies in conducting clinical trials are needed to increase participation in clinical trials among Arabs.

L. Ho C, Chuan Voo T. Recommendations for the development of Egyptian human biobanking ethical guidelines

Background: The development of biobanks is associated with the emergence of new ethical challenges. In Egypt, several biobanks have been established, but there are no specific local ethical guidelines to guide their work. The aim of this study is to develop recommendations for the Egyptian human biobanking ethical guidelines, which take into consideration the specific cultural and legal framework in Egypt. Methods: We searched the literature for available biobanking ethical guidelines. Six themes were the concern of search, namely; informed consent, data protection, return of results, sharing of samples and data, community engagement, and stakeholder engagement. If a document refers to another guideline, the new source is identified and the previous step is repeated. Results: Ten documents were identified, which were analyzed for the themes mentioned above. Guidelines and best practices were identified, and then compared with the published documents about ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) related to biomedical research in Egypt to reach best recommendations. Conclusions: We have proposed, by way of recommendations, key characteristics that a national ethics framework in Egypt could have. On informed consent, the practice of broad consent may be harmonized among biobanks in Egypt. Clear policies on return of research results, training requirements and availability of genetic counseling could also be instituted through the national framework. Additionally, such a framework should facilitate community and stakeholders engagement, which is important to secure trust and build consensus on contentious issues arising from sample and data sharing across borders and commercialization, among other concerns.

Dental and Medical Students' Knowledge and Attitude toward COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study from Pakistan

Objective  The aims of this study were to investigate the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of Pakistani medical and dental undergraduate students toward COVID-19 during the surge of its outbreak.

Materials and Methods  The multicentered, cross-sectional study was carried out nationwide among undergraduate medical and dental students. A convenience sampling technique was used. A self-developed online questionnaire was pretested to be completed by the participants. It was distributed using social media. The survey was comprised of questions related to demographics, health status, general hygiene perception, understanding, and the learning attitudes of the students. Comparisons of the knowledge scores and the attitude responses with the demographic information were done using the independent t -test, one-way ANOVA, and Chi-square, as appropriate.

Results  Of the 937 total respondents, 353 (38%) were males and 582 (62%) were females; two students did not mark their gender. Of these, 680 (73%) were dental students and 257 (27%) were medical students. The mean knowledge score of the female dental students (5.15 ± 1.08) was significantly higher than that of the male students (4.87 ± 1.09). Overall, the mean knowledge score was statistically higher among the medical students in comparison to the dental students (5.21 ± 1.15, 5.05 ± 1.09; p = 0.054), respectively.

Conclusion  The medical and dental students were both aware of the importance of the use of a mask. The medical students had a greater awareness regarding the mode of transmission, symptoms, and origin of COVID-19. However, the dental students showed better understanding of the use of surgical masks and the correct protocol for hand washing. Social media was considered the main source for COVID-19 related information.

Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Consequences of Burnout Among Egyptian Physicians During COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives: COVID-19 has been recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, and physicians are at the frontline to confront the disease. Burnout syndrome (BOS) is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. The objective of this study is to evaluate the frequency and associated risk factors of BOS among a sample of Egyptian physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Using Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey, a cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted to assess BOS among the target group.

Results: Two hundred and twenty physicians participated in the study. The frequency of BOS among the research group was 36.36%. The possibility of development of BOS increased two times with the need to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) from participants' own money, with harassment by patients' families, and was less likely to develop in doctors with older age. While male gender was a predictor of depersonalization (DP), female gender showed a significant association with higher emotional exhaustion (EE). Infection or death from COVID-19 among colleagues or relatives showed significant association with elevated EE and lowered personal achievement (PA), respectively.

Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic added new factors to the development of BOS in our research group. Several measures should be taken to support physicians at this stage. These measures include psychological support, organizing work hours, adjusting salaries, and providing personal protective equipment and training on safety measures.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception of Health Care Workers Regarding COVID-19, A Cross-Sectional Study from Egypt

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the frontline defense against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Inadequate knowledge and incorrect attitudes among HCWs can directly influence practices and lead to delayed diagnosis, poor infection control practice, and spread of disease. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, perception, and attitude of the Egyptian HCWs towards the COVID-19 disease. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Egypt, among 407 HCWs using a self-administered questionnaire. The mean correct answer rate was 80.4% with a mean knowledge score of 18.5 ± 2.7 out of 24. A positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores was detected (r = 0.215, p < 0.001). About 83.1% of our participants reported that they were afraid of being infected with COVID-19, and 89.2% stated that they were more susceptible to COVID-19 infection as compared to others. Unavailability of personal protective equipment (PPE), fear of transmitting the disease to their families, and social stigma were the most frequently reported reasons for increased risk perception. The overall knowledge level of HCWs was generally good especially among physicians. A positive attitude was detected among allied health professionals more than physicians. Risk perception was high among HCWs. Causes of increased risk perception need to considered by the government and the Egyptian Ministry of Health.

The International Teaching and Practice of Cryobiology and Biobankology Course in China

In the past 10 years, clinical biobanks have experienced increasing expansion in China. Demand for systematically educated biobanking professionals is a priority for Chinese biobanks' agenda. The cryobiology and biobankology course is the first semester-long course in China, designed and developed at Central South University with international cooperation. Leading professors were from China, the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada to teach the latest version of biobanking knowledge and skills around the globe. This course is a comprehensive elective course with six specific teaching modules, which is suitable for graduate students majoring in basic medical sciences, clinical medicine, life sciences, mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering, who would like to seek biobanking careers in the future. Participants from China, Czech Republic, Ghana, Madagascar, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Israel attended the course. Through taking this course, students can broaden their international academic horizons and cultivate the ability to learn and apply the knowledge of biology, medicine, and engineering to analyze and explain the low-temperature biology and clinical samples-based research practice. At the same time, the course enables students to realize the importance of multidisciplinary fields of biobanking and the significance of innovative precision medicine research, and further enlightens students' enthusiasm to pursue biobanking professional careers, and in the future they can proudly call themselves "biobankers."

Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitude of Egyptians Towards the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Global efforts have been exerted to prevent the spreading of the disease through political decisions together with personal behaviors, which depend on awareness of the public. The goal of this study is to assess the knowledge, perceptions and attitude of the Egyptian public towards the COVID-19 disease. We conducted a cross-sectional survey about these points, which was distributed among adult Egyptians. Five hundred and fifty nine persons completed the survey. The mean knowledge score was 16.39 out of 23, gained mainly though social media (66.9%), and the internet (58.3%). Knowledge was significantly lower among older, less educated, lower income participants, and rural residents. Most participants (86.9%) were concerned about the risk of infection. While 37.6% thought that their salary will be continued if they become isolated, 68.5% believed that it should be continued during this period. About 73.0% were looking forward to get the vaccine when available. In general, participants had a good knowledge about the disease and a positive attitude towards protective measures. This knowledge is gained mainly through novel media channels, which have pros and cons. Although the government has taken major steps to educate the public and limit the spread of the disease, more effort is needed to educate and support the lower economic strata. If a vaccine or a treatment is approved, we recommend a government control over its use to preserve the rights of the vulnerable and needy groups.

What Egyptians think. Knowledge, attitude, and opinions of Egyptian patients towards biobanking issues

Background

Biobanking is a relatively new concept in Egypt. Building a good relationship with different stakeholders is essential for the social sustainability of biobanks. To establish this relationship, it is necessary to assess the attitude of different groups towards this concept. The objective of this work is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and opinions of Egyptian patients towards biobanking issues.

Methods

We designed a structured survey to be administered to patients coming to the outpatient clinics in 3 university hospitals in Egypt. The survey included questions estimating the level of knowledge about the term “Biobank”, together with questions about the attitudes and opinions about related issues.

Results

Two hundred and fifty-nine patients participated in the survey. Eighty-one percent of participants reported that they never heard about the term before. About 85% expressed that they would be willing to donate their samples for research and about 87% thought that sample donation did not contradict their religious beliefs. Fifty eight percent were willing to participate in a genetic research project, 27.8% supported sharing their sample with pharmaceutical companies, and 32.4% agreed to share their samples with institutions abroad.

Conclusion

Although there is limited knowledge about biobanking among Egyptian patients, many had a positive attitude towards sample donation and didn’t show religious concerns against it. However, they showed concerns regarding participation in genetic research and with sharing their samples across borders or with pharmaceutical companies. Public education about biobanking is possible, taking into consideration the specific cultural and legal framework in Egypt.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12910-019-0394-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.